Homework

[Kurt]

Is so much homework a necessity, or a way to control a students life? Okay, maybe not that extreme.

 

I understand that some homework is needed for a student to succeed in everything. But, is so much homework even healthy? This school year I have had about 2 hours of homework a day. It is not too to bad, but egh, I like to do other things with my time... One night, I had 4 and a half hours of homework, I think that that is not healthy. I have other things going on in my life. I work about 20-25 hours a week, I have 2 after school aciivities, and I have friends and a family.

 

This is why I think so much darn homework in not healthy: If a student has so much homework, hey really start to get frustrated and start to hate the subject because all the time they have to spend on it outside of school. If students like the subject, they succeed more, IMO.

 

What do you all think?

 

Kurt

[Krista]

Lol,

 

Well, Homework is something that I do not do until last minute now that I'm in college... haha, I also do believe that three to four hours a day is a lot, but that's not too crazy of a homework schedule really. There are some schools though that let the teachers over do it a bit. I mean Blake, my little brother has sometimes started homework at four and not get finished until 10. With me helping him a lot of the time. Then this year his schedule has been a little more relaxed, but he's making better grades. So I know that when a student has too much to do a night it creates a stressful environment.

 

There are a lot of ways to teach and teachers that give more than two hours of reading and homework should rethink their methods a little. Especially if you have more than one teacher a day demanding that much time from you after you get home.

 

I agree with you, the more people like a subject the better they learn it.

 

In college a professor will tell you that you that you need to study for a certain amount of time a day just for their class. For my Biology lab my professor said that in order to succeed with an A we all needed to devote three hours a day to reading and studying. I believe him after my first test.. haha.. lol.

 

So yes, as students we all hate homework. When I was in high school my activities were, Basketball Practice, Dance Team Practice, and Volleyball Practice in the spring. Then in the fall I had Dance Team practice and Conditioning for Volleyball and Basketball. So that would mean me getting home on some days around 10:00 pm. Then Doing homework from then until I got finished which could mean me not getting to bed until 3 in the morning.. haha. I put all of that on myself though.

 

Krista

[jalaki]

Yeah, homework is evil like that. Personally I only try to do it if I really, really have to. *laugh*

 

In high school it's much more required; in college, it's much more necessary. See, in most of the classes I've had, homework was neither collected nor graded - we were just told to do it, and if we didn't, well, we'd find out the consequences on test day.

 

I can definitely understand your situation though, I had similar things myself back then. I think it's actually quite a common problem. Just gotta stick it out and hopefully things won't get as bad as Krista's brother....that's just crazy.....although I've actually had worse happen *chuckle*

 

Anyhow - good luck with it Kurt

[Xiao_Chun]

Hey Kurt.

 

I

[JamesSavik]

Having taken Calculus I, II, III, IV and Differential Equations, been there, done that.

 

It's worth it though. It opens doors for you that widen your horizons.

 

BTW- anybody got change for a complex polynomial?

[Xiao_Chun]

Having taken Calculus I, II, III, IV and Differential Equations, been there, done that.

 

It's worth it though. It opens doors for you that widen your horizons.

 

BTW- anybody got change for a complex polynomial?

 

Very wise said JS, as always. A wise man once said

[Graeme]

Homework appears to be a requirement for the last two or three years of school. The guidelines I've seen is the school would like the student to do around two and no more than three hours of homework a weeknight.

 

What I find more disturbing are the schools that are starting homework from early ages. My eldest boy is in grade one and gets one piece of homework a week -- with three days to complete it (if he tried, he could do the lot in an hour). The purpose is partially to get them into the habit early, but they also try to make it relevant to their class work. Some primary schools seem to give homework for the sake of giving homework....

 

Balance is critical. Anyone doing more than 10-12 hours of homework a week is overdoing it, in my humble opinion, unless there are exceptional circumstances (like a student struggling with a particular subject). Other activities are equally important to being a well-rounded invidual.

 

Oh, and James? I've got some tensor calculus somewhere -- I'll swap it from the complex polynomials, if you're interested.

[NickolasJames8]

I always have a grip of homework to do too, but I try to do as much as I can at school so Im not sitting up all night trying to get it done. Sometimes I have to not do other things just to get it done, but I know I can catch up on those things once I finish. I didn't get much writing done last week because I had homeowrk up the ying yang, but this week I can take it a little easy....btw, it helps to be on an A/B schedule so you can figure out what has to be done when. Im having a easier time this year with it than I did last year, when I was up till 2 in the morning sometimes doing hw

[knotme]

... Im having a easier time this year with it than I did last year, when I was up till 2 in the morning sometimes doing hw

Gadzooks! When did you start your homework to finish up at 2:00AM? I ask only because I can remember not getting into the mood for certain homework until late at night. Or sometimes I'd go to bed early, , then get up at 3:30 or 4:00AM, finishing up at 6:30AM or so. Not my best work, but I got it done.

 

This still happens, usually when I have to write a proposal (like right now). All-nighters result.

km

[Juss]

This school year I have had about 2 hours of homework a day.

I think 2 hours a day is a bit much. You should at least take the weekend to relax. A stressed mind is not a healthy one.

What I find more disturbing are the schools that are starting homework from early ages.

I agree. Homework issued to young people is hardly helping their education. Some high schools have actually ban homework, though this only affects year 7 to 9 students. The students' results have dramtically improved due to this ban. Homework is just extra stress to young people and is treated like another chore, rather than a learning exercise.

 

Unfortunately, my school still issues homework, and i'm one of those people that leave things to the last minute; it's a hard habit to rid. I remember staying all night doing my assignment, only to find out that my printer was out of ink. My parents had to drive me to my aunt's house and use their printer. I got home at like 3am that day. At least I got it in in time.

[Xiao_Chun]

We live in a reality that in order to be able to get a decent job we need to possess certain skills. And if we want to learn skills, we need practice. It is true whether you are an athlete, a cook, a pilot, a police officer, an engineer, a musician, or lawyer. Just like you must practice and train to teach your body some skills, you need to train your brain as well. It is just as bad having too little homework as having too much of it. Imagine not having homework at all. Are you really learning all the necessary skills during class? How often your attention during class is distracted (by some cute boy maybe )? Would you pay any attention in class if you did not have to do homework based on what was discussed in class?

 

Good luck,

Michael.

[Graeme]

One of the "advantages" of doing homework is that it also teaches time-management skills (which is what appears to be a major issue in this thread). Time-management is a something that everyone should learn because it will be useful throughout your life. I'm not saying doing homework is the best way to learn this, but it's one of the side-effects....

[Kurt]

I do not think that time-management is my problem. I get my homework done for when it is due. I just have so much homework that I do not have time to do other things that I want to do.

 

I do not understand how that has to deal with Time-management, can someone please explain it to me.

 

Also, it is not that I do not understad my homework, it is actually quite the opposite. I understand almost all of my homework except for maybe a few math problems here or there. Otherwise, for everything else, I understand it and all, it just takes time to finish it, do the reading, study stuff, and complete assignments.

 

I am not saying that all homework is not needed. I understand that homework is needed to make students learn. The only thing that I am trying to say is that maybe they are giving a little to much homework. Students have lives that should not have to revolve around school and school work.

 

Kurt

[NickolasJames8]

Can you get any done in class?? I always use my free time to do my hw so I dont have that much to do when I get home

[JamesSavik]

Come on guys. According to the gay agenda, we're supposed to be taking over the world.

 

How can we take over the world unless you do your homework?

 

 

Oh, and James? I've got some tensor calculus somewhere -- I'll swap it from the complex polynomials, if you're interested.

 

I wouldn't want to rip you off mate. Your tensor calculus is higher on the mathematical totem pole than complex polynomials.

 

You might like this J. C. Kolecki,Introduction To Tensors

[Graeme]

I am not saying that all homework is not needed. I understand that homework is needed to make students learn. The only thing that I am trying to say is that maybe they are giving a little to much homework. Students have lives that should not have to revolve around school and school work.

 

Kurt

I hear you and I don't know the answer. I think I said 10-12 hours per week (average two hours a night on school nights) is reasonable. More than that is, I think, too much. A student can get burnt out by studying too much.

 

Too much of anything is harmful. My favourite example is water: you need it, but too much can kill you (it's called drowning...)

 

PS: I'll apologise now -- I had a bottle of wine with dinner tonight so I may not be making a lot of sense....

[Wynter]

Is so much homework a necessity, or a way to control a students life? Okay, maybe not that extreme.

 

I understand that some homework is needed for a student to succeed in everything. But, is so much homework even healthy? This school year I have had about 2 hours of homework a day. It is not too to bad, but egh, I like to do other things with my time... One night, I had 4 and a half hours of homework, I think that that is not healthy. I have other things going on in my life. I work about 20-25 hours a week, I have 2 after school aciivities, and I have friends and a family.

 

This is why I think so much darn homework in not healthy: If a student has so much homework, hey really start to get frustrated and start to hate the subject because all the time they have to spend on it outside of school. If students like the subject, they succeed more, IMO.

 

What do you all think?

 

Kurt

 

Kurt,

I don't know how things run in the US but when I was in school two hours was the recommended level for year twelves (Seniors/last year). Also our teachers advised no more than ten hours a week for work. In the end though I think it comes down to the individual and how effectively you use your class time (lol one of my main problems). Is say do as much as you need and if that means two hours then .

 

Also, Uni IS much easier but it's also very easy to fail because nobody cares if you're not doing your homework so long as you pay your fees.

 

Having taken Calculus I, II, III, IV and Differential Equations, been there, done that.

 

It's worth it though. It opens doors for you that widen your horizons.

 

BTW- anybody got change for a complex polynomial?

 

Hell NO! As an English major the mere thought of...whatever that is sends a shiver down my spine (not a good one ).

 

I always have a grip of homework to do too, but I try to do as much as I can at school so Im not sitting up all night trying to get it done. Sometimes I have to not do other things just to get it done, but I know I can catch up on those things once I finish. I didn't get much writing done last week because I had homeowrk up the ying yang, but this week I can take it a little easy....btw, it helps to be on an A/B schedule so you can figure out what has to be done when. Im having a easier time this year with it than I did last year, when I was up till 2 in the morning sometimes doing hw

 

Hope you don't mind me asking I'm just curious...what's the story with the Pope picture?

 

Wynter

[Formosa]

I guess homework is kind of difficult to juggle when you're young, want to explore all sorts of others things, and want to have a (social) life too. I think teachers give homework not to deliberately make you feel miserable, but to see how much you've absorbed. So it's good for you, in a way, but like all things should be in moderation.

 

I could say I've 'been there and done that', but to be honest I'm still doing it now!

Uni is a lot different than high school. I guess it was 'easier' before since teachers spoonfeed you information and the homework they set is basically a repetition of what you've been doing in class so that you can work the ideas/methods into your brain. It's true, you've got a lot more homework and assignments to do at high school in terms of the quantity, but once you're done, you're done.

 

At uni there aren't so many assignments, probably maximum three papers per term, and only a few hours of lectures you need to attend....but the rest of the time is not (supposed to be) free time. You're really supposed to do your own study, find your own readings and fill in gaps in your knowledge. Lecturers just give you a skeleton of what you're expected to know, whereas you've got to flesh it up with our study and research. Recommended self-study time per week: at least 25hours.

Of course you can do nothing and party all day or whatever, like some of my friends, but you'll be out before you know it. I'm working on a paper now, and it's taking almost three weeks of reading, writings, reading, re-writing...and there's a 1500word limit too!

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say high school students have it much easier....believe me when I was in high school I used to complain and think it was all too much and impossible. But afterwards you'll look back and think it wasn't that bad after all. I used to think that working people have it so much easier without homework, but with all the other stresses and pressures you've to deal with was I wrong when I started working! Part of the reason I went back to studying The grass is always greener elsewhere.

 

A number of people mentioned this already: planning, management, and working with others really does help. Worse thing is to be up in the middle of the night doing something you don't want but must and failing because you couldn't put in as much quality and time as you could.

 

Good luck~

 

"Home-workers of the world unite"